Thin decorative veneer laminates are well known in the art. Veneziale, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,756,901, taught 13 mil to 24 mil thick decorative laminates, made from one sheet each of glass fiber overlay and kraft paper support, the kraft paper having a printed design, and each sheet being impregnated with at least 55 weight percent of a polyester resin. The kraft paper back of these types of laminates is then generally sanded to provide an adherable, glueable surface, which can be glued to a chipboard or other type support base. In many cases, during the sanding operation, the thin laminates crack or break in half, adding to production costs.
Keeling, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,547,767, attempted to produce highly flexible veneer laminates having good body and better glueability. Keeling made 7 mil to 10 mil thick decorative laminates. These were made from a transparent thermoplastic film, back-printed with a design, bonded to from 1 to 4 core sheets of rubberized kraft paper. The kraft paper was impregnated and coated with about 55 weight percent of a vinyl halide latex and/or a nitrile rubber latex composition.
In another area, thin release sheets for use between laminate stack-ups in a press, have been taught by Emily et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 3,050,434. These release sheets are made of a paper sheet which may be impregnated with a phenolic resin and which is coated on one side with sodium alginate or potassium alginate. The paper side of the release sheet will adhere to the core layer of one of the consolidated laminate stack-ups after pressing. The adhering paper-alginate sheet is then generally sanded off the core layer of the consolidated laminate. In that patent, the alginate acted as a release coating on kraft paper.
What is needed is a method of making decorative veneer laminates, having thicknesses of between about 5 mil to 15 mil and having an adherable surface, which can be glued to a chipboard base without requiring sanding or other preparation.